While many expected this to be Alex Ovechkin‘s final season, he has now made that official by announcing he will retire from the NHL after the end of the season in 2027. The Washington Capitals captain released a statement through the team, saying in part, “I know in my heart it is the right decision.”
Ovechkin, 41, is in his 22nd NHL season with 929 career goals, already well clear of Wayne Gretzky‘s previous record of 894. Ovechkin signed a $4.25 million one-year (plus bonuses) deal this past offseason to return to Washington after playing his entire career for Washington, and last season, Ovechkin led the team with 32 goals and 64 points, but fell short of a postseason berth.
A few weeks ago, Ovechkin was embroiled in a heated controversy when he appeared in a Putin TV commercial. Some burned their Ovechkin jerseys over that decision. Others came to his defense. Ovechkin said he did the commercial without seeking permission of the Capitals. With the season started, Ovechkin moved away from that controversy, as best he can, and won’t discuss it further. Now, he wants this final season to do the talking for him.
“It was important for me to make this announcement before our first home game, so I have the chance to thank all the people around the game, everyone who has been so important to me and my family and helped me through the good times and tough losses. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve everything I have in my life without them. I am excited about this season with my teammates, and we will do everything we can to make this year special.”
— Ovechkin wrote today
The Great-8 has definitely had a storied career — but he only delivered one Stanley Cup Final and that is disappointing for Capitals fans. Mostly, the Capitals have a long history of quick one-and-outs in the postseason. In fact, since winning the Stanley Cup, five of the playoff appearances were first round losses and one second round loss.
This season, Ovechkin can hope for a long postseason run to finish his career. The team fortified in the offseason to produce better results. Of course Ovechkin would like to go out on top.
Here is a copy of the posted announcement on the Washington Capitals site:
This announcement comes before Wednesday’s home opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins and long-time rival Sidney Crosby, whose career has been intertwined with Ovechkin since both entered the league in 2005. Crosby signed an extension with Pittsburgh this past summer and enters the final year of his contract, and Crosby is 39 with no immediate plans to retire.
If the health for both Ovechkin and Crosby remain for the season’s end, the pair would matchup for Ovechkin’s final regular season game in Washington, D.C. on April 4, 2027. Did the schedule makers do this on-purpose to make Washington’s first and final home games of the regular season against the rival Penguins?
Of course this season, the Capitals have postseason aspirations to be one of the 16 playoff teams. They have started this season at 1-1. They looked great against Carolina but flat against Tampa Bay.
This season, Ovechkin and Crosby join Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Stan Mikita and Steve Yzerman as the only players in NHL history to play 22 seasons with one franchise.
In Capitals principal owner’s Ted Leonsis social media post, he wrote that Ovechkin has an “unmatched desire to win.”
“For more than two decades, Alex has given our fans everything they could ask for: the goals, the records, the physicality, the passion, and an unmatched desire to win,” Leonsis wrote in social media post today. “He brought Washington a Stanley Cup, and he helped create some of the most joyful and unifying moments this city has ever experienced in sports.”
With Ovechkin’s early announcement of his retirement, every game, home and road, should be a hot ticket. Expect that April 4th game to hit secondary market numbers to be near Super Bowl prices!
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